Keep Mine Hidden
by collidingminds
Summary: Blaine isn't out when Kurt transfers to Dalton his junior year. After a year of secretly fooling around, Kurt gives Blaine an ultimatum. Blaine chooses to keep his secret over staying with Kurt. Once Kurt moves on, Blaine realizes just how much he's missing. Kurt/OC, eventual Kurt/Blaine
1. Prologue

Blaine had messed up; he was willing to admit that much. He should never have let Kurt leave Boston mad at him. It had been weeks since they'd spoken to each other, and Blaine wanted the boy he spent all his time thinking about back in his arms.

Every moment Blaine had spent with Kurt would come back to him. The reminders of the way Kurt moved, the way Kurt spoke, the elegance and grace involved in everything the boy did- made Blaine miss him more every time he closed his eyes.

The memory of Kurt hailing a cab to leave him behind was not the memory Blaine wanted. Blaine stood by watching through the window as Kurt ran away, and he was left with that vision every night for the past month: the black satin of Kurt's vest vanishing into a cab and leaving him with nothing but regret.

Every time Blaine left the apartment, Blaine swore he saw Kurt disappear around a corner. A fleeting bit of hope would blossom in his chest before it was quickly replaced with the same hollow feeling that had plagued him all summer long.

Why had he been so stupid? How could he have let the only man he'd ever allowed himself to be with leave without a fight?

He had spent almost every day with Kurt since the end of junior year. In the safety of Kurt's room, Blaine had learned to love what they could be together.

In the two years Blaine was at Dalton before Kurt transferred he'd only ever found a few boys attractive, and never enough to make him seriously question his sexuality. With thick dark curls and an immaculately sculpted upper body, girls had always been attracted to Blaine, and that's the way he thought it should be. Those stray glances at boys in class and thoughts of his favorite male celebrities were a thing of the past; he was determined to do things correctly at Dalton and that included going out with a string of the hottest girls around.

To Blaine, they had been nothing but something to do with his cock and his time.

He worked hard to retain his reputation as a player, the confident boy that girls dreamed would give them the time of day. He could be cocky and sarcastic and it just attracted more girls. Without much effort on Blaine's part, half of the school looked up to him and the other half feared his disapproval. He never bullied anyone, but it was nice to know he had the authority to start or stop anything that went on in that school.

No one had ever guessed he might be hiding something. No one, until Kurt. Kurt seemed to sense Blaine was hiding his insecurities.

Blaine was caught off-guard the first time he saw Kurt.

"Watch where you're going." Blaine scoffed up at the tall boy with the audacity to not pay attention to Blaine's personal space.

"Because you own the hallway?" Kurt said as he raised an eyebrow and walked away.

Blaine stood there, mouth agape, stunned that someone responded at all. The problem wasn't just that he was upset that someone had responded and challenged him, it was the muscle he felt beneath the boy's sleeve. It was the jolt in his stomach as he heard that crystal voice shoot back at him so confidently. It was the fact that Blaine wanted to hear it again.

He made a mental note to watch for the kid with perfectly coiffed hair, silently grateful that he wasn't with anyone who would have made him say something he'd regret.

It didn't take long for Blaine to see the boy again. Kurt's audition for the Warblers was sung that afternoon and directly to Blaine. Kurt stared as he sang the words to When I Get You Alone, knowing it was the same song Blaine had used at Sectionals the year before. At the beginning of his performance it seemed like a challenge, some direct question of authority, but halfway through the song changed. Kurt completely altered it, singing higher and to a different tempo. It was obvious that he was using the audition to show Blaine a lot more than his vocal talent.

Blaine could only stare at the boy singing. He noticed the subtle changes the boy made to his uniform. The boots he wore instead of loafers. The studded cufflinks. How when he sang a particularly high note, gorgeous crimson colors spread across his relatively pale cheeks. It was easily the sexiest thing Blaine had ever seen, and Blaine couldn't say anything about it.

The Warblers hazed Kurt for singing the song like a girl, and singing it so openly to one of the straightest guys in the room. But his talent was undeniable. They were all hung up on the rarity of having a countertenor.

Blaine's thoughts, however, were fixated on hearing that voice again from the comfort of a mattress.

Weeks of sexual frustration were slowly driving Blaine mad. Every time he walked into the choir hall, Kurt would be standing in some new outfit that emphasized his fantastic ass. Every movement of those hips caused a strain against Blaine's zipper and a rushed shower the second he got back to his room.

He was constantly distracted around Kurt and it would be bad enough if Kurt noticed, but in the rehearsal hall any one of the guys could pick up on his crush. The obvious solution was to distance himself from Kurt.

Kurt seemed to notice the deliberate distance between them. He hadn't openly made a move on Blaine for at least a week before Sectionals, and it was starting to make him worry that Kurt wasn't interested anymore.

Sectionals passed with a victory for the Warblers. In true Warbler fashion, the boys used the celebration as an excuse to let loose and drink.

"You're not getting in a car like this." Kurt said as he walked Blaine outside.

"What are you-u talking about-t? I'm totally fine," Blaine slurred, tripping slightly as he made his way across the threshold.

Kurt pointed Blaine in the direction of his own car and ushered in as Blaine mumbled something about only drinking one beer.

Blaine liked the idea that Kurt cared enough to make sure he got home safely that night. Maybe Kurt hadn't moved on yet.

"Mmm. This smells nice." Blaine twirled a finger through Kurt's hair. "You smell nice."

Blaine leaned in to get closer to the smell and gave into all of his thoughts for the past week. Blaine let temptation drive his tongue down Kurt's neck, tracing the boy's collar bone.

Kurt jumped in surprise before a glorious sigh escaped his lips. The sound of it sent Blaine's sexual frustration into overdrive. He had to make sure he heard that sigh again soon. He shifted to trace his tongue slowly over the pulsing vein in Kurt's neck.

"I'm pretty sure only one person in this car is supposed to want this, and it's not supposed to be you." Kurt said wryly.

That had been their first night together. Even if it was just blow jobs, Blaine had loved knowing what it was like to fill his mouth with another man. Later, Kurt told him that he'd been a natural.

Every night after that Kurt would hear a knock on his door. At some point in the evening Blaine would come over and he'd stay as long as he could without someone noticing his absence.

Their nights quickly became more than a drunken hook-up. The sex was exactly what Blaine wanted, but what had surprised him was the emotional attachment he craved when he wasn't near Kurt. The side that was nothing like the reputation Blaine had during class. Blaine got to be the man that could wrap his arms around the boy next to him. His chest would flex against Kurt's warm back, arms enveloping the smaller boy's waist. Those were the moments Blaine felt the closest to Kurt.

The relationship never left Kurt's room. Blaine never even stayed the night. Except once. It was the first time Blaine came inside Kurt, and it was the only time Blaine couldn't force himself to leave.

"I just don't want to go," was all Kurt would have needed to hear, but Blaine could never bring himself to say it. He didn't want to be the vulnerable one, but so many nights Blaine left wishing Kurt had asked him not to.

Staying just that one night turned out to be too much of a risk for Blaine. He spent the entire next day convinced that everyone knew where he'd been the night before. The thought of everyone knowing his secret terrified Blaine more than the thought of being without Kurt.

Blaine was always with people, so there was hardly anything they could do without blowing Blaine's secret. When the two saw each other in the halls they would greet each other with a curt nod, but Blaine always found himself stealing a second glance at Kurt's slender frame.

A year passed this way, making sure no one knew what happened behind closed doors. They opened up to each other, but Blaine knew Kurt was holding back. When he brought up the issue Kurt responded, "What else are you going to get from me that can be done in this room?" Blaine made the decision that he was fine with that, if the price for more was outing himself.

That summer was supposed to be brilliant. They spent it in Boston with his mother, a lawyer who didn't have the time to spend at home, and there was no need to hide their relationship in a bedroom. Finally, he got to experience what it was like to have all of Kurt.

Until he didn't. Until he accidentally sent Kurt out the door, into a cab, and until Blaine spent the summer missing Kurt's warmth between his arms.


	2. Chapter 1

It was his first day back at Dalton. Blaine had already done his hair three times trying to make it exactly how Kurt liked it. He would loosen his tie and try it again, attempting to find the perfect balance between trying too hard and sexy as hell.

Blaine had gone over the first time he would see Kurt at least 500 times this morning. In his head, the scene played out perfectly. He would smile nervously and and run his fingers through his hair and then look down. When he looked back up Kurt would be standing closer to Blaine than he had been a minute ago, and that would be Blaine's cue to apologize and close the gap between them.

Blaine's fictional reunion was the result of two months of fantasizing about the absolute best way things could possibly turn out. There would be enough mystery to ensure the others in the hall would have no idea what was going on, but enough sincerity that Kurt would know Blaine had done nothing but think about him all of summer vacation.

Blaine glanced at the clock. He still had plenty of time to make it to class, but he was growing restless in his tiny dorm room. He let out a deep sigh, blowing the stray hairs hanging over his forehead away. This was as good as it was going to get. Blaine picked up his messenger bag and headed for the door.

Blaine was definitely not the guy that was going to show up early for class, but by wandering the halls, he could manage to get out of his dorm without raising too much suspicion.

Walking toward his locker, he couldn't help but notice all the people already there. Was this how the school always was before the bell?

Blaine nodded occasionally to a few Warblers as he passed, a few of them shouting a comment about his early arrival in his wake.

"Dude. I didn't hear from you all summer, fall off the face of the planet?" Blaine heard a familiar voice call from behind him.

Blaine turned to see the slender outline of an asian boy striding towards him. Wes, who had been Blaine's best friend since the day he started at Dalton, never changed no matter how much time passed. His tie was always straight and proper, shoes freshly polished, and his blazer was never actually on. About the only thing that varied from the day they met was Wes' height. A solid 6 foot frame stood before Blaine, inches taller than when they'd separated for the summer. Something Blaine was already a little envious of.

Blaine was surprised at how happy seeing Wes actually made him feel. As a smile spread across his face he chuckled back, "Bro, it was a long fall. I'm surprised I even made it back in time."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. And it doesn't help that you can't Facebook me from under a girl; it's not considered proper etiquette. Although, if you're just going to kick her out of bed in a few minutes to never see her again, I don't know why you couldn't have said 'Hi' at some point this summer."

"A few minutes? You highly underestimate my abilities, my friend." The two grabbed hands and pulled in for a hug.

They fell into an easy step on the way to Blaine's locker.

"So what were you really up to this summer?" Wes asked.

Blaine hesitated. "You know, nothing. I was just in Boston all summer."

"Yeah, I was there for a week, but couldn't get a hold of you."

Blaine thought back to that week. He remembered it too well. That was the week Kurt got to Boston. That was supposed to be the week that started the best summer of his life. It seemed ironic, now, how it hadn't lasted.

"June 24th? I was on lockdown. Mom caught me with a- um, a house guest."

Wes laughed, "Harsh."

Blaine stopped as he reached his locker, pleased with how easily that lie slipped out.

"Alright, bro, we'll finish this later. Still gotta catch up with Jeff and the guys." Wes said as he kept walking.

Blaine stared at his locker. That conversation with Wes had been the first time in weeks that his stomach wasn't in a constant state of back flips. It felt nice to have a friendship that was a little forgiving. He'd blown off Wes all summer, dodging his calls when he decided he just wanted to curl up in a ball and forget the world existed. The second they were back together, it was like nothing happened. Blaine could feel himself smiling his first genuine smile since Kurt left.

Just the thought of Kurt and his stomach was back in knots.

He could feel the sweat building up on his palms as he attempted to get into his locker. Awesome. Just what he needed, sweaty hands and pit stains; what man on earth could resist? Tucking his blazer in his locker, Blaine decided he probably wouldn't need it all day. He kept it with his textbooks, because who was he kidding, Blaine may show up on time for class today, but it wasn't like he was planning on paying attention.

He closed his locker and turned around, fixing his tie, yet again. The click of boots could be heard down the hall, signifying the arrival of only one person. Only one guy in the entire school dared to wear boots instead of the uniform loafers.

Blaine looked up to see the toned legs he'd been dreaming of all summer covered in tight dark denim walking to a locker close to his. Kurt turned to face a locker only a few feet away from Blaine, but never made eye contact.

From this vantage point, Blaine had a perfect view of a perfect ass. Kurt had made all the best adjustments to his uniform. His blazer hung just at his waist line, so no matter what pants he paired with the outfit Blaine could properly appreciate his ass. Today the jeans hugged skin tight the entire way down his leg disappearing into a thin leather army boot.

Blaine tried to work up the courage to walk over to Kurt. He quickly realized, as many times as Blaine had thought about their reunion, he'd never actually thought about the words he would say.

Blaine coughed. Not to call attention to himself, although that's what happened, but to relieve himself of the nervous energy caught in his throat.

Kurt turned in time to see Blaine nervously laugh and run his fingers through his hair.

Great, Blaine thought, and now my hand is sticky- sweaty and sticky.

"Hey Kur-" Blaine started. Half way through Kurt's name Blaine looked up to realize they weren't alone.

Not only were they not alone, but the other boy, a stranger to Blaine, had managed to attach his face to Kurt's and his hand was hugging that perfectly firm ass.

It wasn't the unskilled man practically molesting Kurt that hurt Blaine the most. It was Kurt's hand grabbing the hair on the back of the stranger's head, fingers entwined in the shaggy brown hair that made Blaine's stomach clench. Kurt was expecting the embrace.

Kurt, _Blaine's_ Kurt, knew another boy was going to kiss him. He wanted it. Kurt had moved on.

Blaine coughed. More like hacked up a lung accompanied by all the disgusting sounds effects he could manage.

That one was on purpose.

Kurt and stranger-boy's lips separated somewhere near the end of Blaine's performance. Despite the fact that he wanted to cry and that his stomach had never had more knots in it, Blaine felt some satisfaction in having been the force that drove them apart.

The crimson in Kurt's cheeks was as magnificent as Blaine had ever seen and his mouth hung slightly open as he made eye contact with Blaine for the first time in months.

Blaine's head was spinning. He couldn't hold Kurt's gaze. Instead, he turned to face the stranger that had the audacity to suck his Kurt's face in front of him.

The boy was less than a head taller than Blaine, barely taller than Kurt. He had the same pale skin as Kurt, but his cheeks didn't fill with the same coloring Kurt's did. This boy was not embarrassed. He was thin, but not muscular the way Kurt was, soft is how Blaine would put it. He stood next to Kurt with his hand on the small of Kurt's back.

"Sorry, mate. Had no idea we had an audience," the stranger said. His voice was smooth, not cocky; it seemed genuine and that annoyed Blaine even more.

Blaine felt his lips involuntarily purse. His eyes shifting between Kurt and the stranger. Kurt looked uncomfortable, not by the boy standing so close to him, but because of Blaine.

"Babe- think I could meet you at your locker in a minute?" Kurt said, his voice a little hoarse.

Blaine wanted to answer, stopping himself, knowing he wasn't the one being addressed.

"Sure. I have to grab my books anyway." Stranger-boy kissed Kurt on his temple and walked down the hall, out of earshot.

Blaine's eyes followed stranger-boy down the hall. Blaine suddenly realized that this was the moment he'd been waiting for all summer: talking to Kurt. He wanted to be able to feel anything other than the pressure of the blue eyed gaze locked straight on him rather than the indifference in Kurt's eyes. Blaine had hoped they would shine. It always meant good news when Kurt's eyes were shining.

-  
Kurt's eyes developed a shine when he was turned on. When Blaine touched him, Kurt's skin would feel like electricity to the touch and Blaine could literally feel Kurt's body buzzing with excitement. That touch was the most thrilling feeling in the world for Blaine: a mixture of the rush you get when you could get caught doing something you're not supposed to, and the feeling of happiness that goes along with knowing if this was the last thing he ever did, he would be more than content.

Blaine thought Kurt was the most gorgeous thing in the world as he stood at the window overlooking an excellent view of Boston. He noticed the way Kurt's back curved just above his ass, that perfect ass.

Blaine moved to join Kurt at the window. He wrapped his arms around him. Feeling the muscles in Kurt's back tighten against his chest. His hands moving along the muscles in this arms, lean and firm. That feeling of electricity already present and a hum coming from the back of Kurt's throat.

"This is the greatest feeling." Kurt said. "Knowing you're there and imagining being like this with you everywhere I go."

"Boston is good for us." Blaine replied.

"Boston and Dalton are good for us." Kurt said.

"If only we could ever be like this year round."

"One day."

"I wish."

"Well, you do know you'll have to come out one day." Kurt said with a light laugh as he turned in Blaine's arms. Kurt's arms now wrapped around Blaine's neck, his fingers combing through his hair, which wasn't gelled at Kurt's request.

Blaine held Kurt for a minute, his hands itching to travel south of the small of Kurt's back.

"Are you thinking about it? What it would be like if you were out?" Kurt asked.

"Honestly, I'm thinking about how much longer my hands can be this close to their favorite squeeze toy without touching. But your thought works too." Blaine said trying to change the subject.

Kurt had been pushing every day to make Blaine his out boyfriend. It was dangerous territory for Blaine. He wanted nothing more than to keep the boy in his arms eternally happy, but Blaine had hoped he could do that without outing himself at Dalton. He was afraid that coming out would change everything he'd worked for. He'd earned the respect of his peers in the Warblers. Blaine had made connections and had potential for a future he very much wanted.

He looked down at the boy in his arms. Kurt's face had now changed. He wasn't as blissfully happy anymore, and his body had stopped buzzing. Blaine knew that Kurt was worth giving everything up for, but he also didn't think it was fair for Kurt to ask that of him.

"Babe. When we go back, you know it can't be like this right?" Blaine struggled to choose the best words. He wanted to leave no questions but he didn't want it to come out harsh. "You know that I have an appearance at Dalton that I have to keep up for my last year there."

"Right, who would want other people to think they were gay?" Kurt said, pulling out of their embrace. "Maybe it's just me. If you're going to come out, it can't be with the kid they all make fun of. I would irreparably damage your image, is that it?"

So apparently that had been the wrong thing to say.

"Woah, baby. Slow down. What are you talking about? We're fine." Blaine tried to be more careful this time. "I'm just not sure if me coming out would be the right thing this close to graduation." Blaine was just asking for a repeat of last year, something he thought had been perfect.

He didn't know what Kurt was thinking, what else he'd been expecting.

"I want to be with you, I just don't want my entire life to change when I only have one year at that school left."

"Did it ever occur to you that you haven't even really convinced me you're in this relationship? That without letting people know about us, I have no reason to stay, or believe that you will?" Kurt folded his arms- not defensively, more like he was trying to comfort himself. "I don't even know if we have a relationship."

"What do you mean? Isn't that what this is? We're together and neither of us is with anyone else, a relationship." Blaine said.

"Blaine, in a relationship people actually like each other." Kurt took a step toward Blaine resting his hand on Blaine's shoulder. Kurt bit his lip, his voice getting softer, "You do like me, don't you?"

Kurt had abandoned fighting, he was clearly going for seduction. Blaine thought, and this is why I love him.  
_Love him._  
Love him?  
I can't love him. I want to be with him always, and I want him to be happy more than anyone else, and sure he's the most attractive person I've ever seen, but I don't love him. Not yet.

Kurt's hand was sneaking it's way up Blaine's chest. Kurt's body humming with energy again. Apparently a little argument got Kurt heated up in more ways than one. Blaine caught himself making a mental note of that for the future.

_The future. He was already planning the future?_

Blaine's back went rigid. This was not supposed to happen; he wasn't supposed to be the one who got caught up in a high school romance he actually believed could last.

Loosening Blaine's bow tie, Kurt began kissing Blaine's neck, easing the tension in Blaine's shoulders even as his mind continued to race.

It wasn't something he planned on doing. His body had reacted without notice. Blaine needed to stay distant to set things straight. He couldn't let Kurt distract him so easily.

Blaine loved every second of it. This he could get used to.

To be honest, he already had.

Blaine's thoughts grew cold. He'd grown too comfortable with the boy in his arms. He didn't want this to end- but it needed to change.

Blaine felt a chill run down his spine.

-  
That same chill ran down Blaine's spine again, still staring into Kurt's eyes.

"I gue-"

"No. You don't get to say anything, Blaine," Kurt started. "You get to deal with the fact that you lost me. You don't get to make me feel bad for having moved on, and you won't be giving Michael a hard time here."

Kurt held his hands up took two steps backwards.

"There is nothing for you here, Blaine. Go to class. Everyone there still admires you for how full of yourself you are."

Blaine was facing the back of Kurt's perfectly tousled hair before he could manage to string three words together.

"I miss you." Blaine whispered to himself as he watched Kurt walk away.


	3. Chapter 2

The rest of the day passed in a haze. Blaine had no idea who was in any of his classes. Except English: Kurt was in his English class.

His room was the only place Blaine had dared to let his face fall. He knew Kurt well enough to know that he had chosen his words carefully that morning, looking for a specific reaction from Blaine. There was no way he was going to get it.

He'd been forcing himself to hold back any hint that he was upset, the selfish part of him hoping that it would bother Kurt.

In his own room, Blaine couldn't stop tears from slipping down his cheeks.

All summer long, he'd thought about their reunion. He'd thought about Kurt leaving him and not letting him apologize. Blaine wanted Kurt to still be mad. He was _prepared_ for that.

He had never once thought of the possibility of Kurt moving on, and it hurt more than he was willing to admit.

For the past two months, Blaine prevented himself from going crazy with the reminder that he was getting Kurt back. He knew with one look he would have Kurt in his arms, convinced he was committed to their relationship.

Silent tears, now, fell down his cheeks as he curled himself up on his bed without bothering to change. Eventually his eyes drifted closed, dreaming of the boy he wished he had back in his arms.

He woke to a frantic pounding on the door that grew steadily louder. What felt like a few hours of fitful sleep had left him more exhausted than he was before he lay down. Blaine winced as he caught his reflection in the mirror. He looked like shit.

Blaine washed his face, hoping some of the red in his eyes would go away. Whoever was at the door could wait.

Blaine finally opened it to face Jeff, a Warbler friend.

"Dude you are so late! You needed to be downstairs like 5 minutes ago." Jeff snapped his head back to look at Blaine fully, his eyebrows drawing in confusion, "Did you sleep in that? Forget it- just go!"

Blaine grabbed his messenger bag and was pushed out the door. He thought he'd only been asleep for a few hours, apparently he'd managed to sleep through the entire night.

Blaine glanced down at his watch, 7:45. He rolled his eyes at Jeff still frantically hurrying.

"Jeff, what- class doesn't start for another half hour."

Jeff paused, cocking his head to the side and pursing his lips in a look of obvious annoyance, only to lift the lapel of his jacket. A pin of a singing bird perched there, as it did on every Warbler's jacket on days of meetings. Blaine groaned in recognition.

"Wes was pretty pissed, dude. He brought out the gavel and everything! Way to start out your run on council."

Shit.

Blaine took off down the hall, a full sprint carrying him to the council members' chambers.

He stumbled in, catching Wes' eye. His best friend did not look pleased.

_Don't talk to him for an entire summer, he's fine. Show up a little late for a council meeting and he looks like he's ready to stab me with a blunt knife._

Blaine looked around the chambers. The oak paneling and rich colors felt like home. This room had been his safe haven for so long; it was the first place Blaine truly fell in love with on campus. He'd never been on council before, but as the main soloist Blaine always found himself sneaking off to practice in here. It was a soundproof room he could release extra energy in, belt every note, and miss a step without being judged by the others. Even with the other council members upset with him, just being in the room was the closest Blaine had felt to comfort since he'd come back to Dalton.

Wes cleared his throat as his gavel pounded on the wooden stump before him. Blaine winced, his headache from this morning coming back with a vengeance.

"Warbler Blaine," Wes started. Blaine rolled his eyes at the formal address. "I suppose you have an excellent excuse for your tardiness," he droned with perfectly evident sarcasm.

Blaine shifted on his feet uncomfortably, wondering how the disgruntled stares of only two men could make his skin crawl.

"Wes, David," Blaine nodded to each of them as he spoke, "Guys I'm sorry. Apparently, I crashed after class yesterday and didn't have time to set an alarm."

Blaine tried not to make eye contact with either boy as they each surveyed his appearance.

He could tell Wes was trying to figure out what happened yesterday, but Blaine remained stubborn, faking an interest in the Warbler banner hanging over the door that he'd seen a million times before.

"In any case, I think you should have to handle the first meeting back and initial recruiting efforts as a bit of punishment," Wes said.

That caught Blaine's attention.

"Wes, c'mon man," Blaine could hear the whine in his own voice. "You can't stick me with the intro meeting. I haven't paid attention to one of those since I started in the Warblers, and even then I probably just listened to the first five minutes. I don't even know what happens in the first week of meetings."

David and Blaine both bit back laughs at Wes' look of outrage. Wes opened and closed his mouth a few times, obviously looking for something to say and coming up short.

When Wes finally spoke, it was through gritted teeth. "Well then, Warbler Blaine, I suppose it's time you learn."

Blaine couldn't help it as a laugh escaped him. He was feeling better than he had in a while. Watching Wes get uptight over nothing, joking with David about Wes overreacting, Blaine realized how much he just missed being with his friends.

After Blaine agreed to handle the new recruitment, the Council meeting went much smoother. Wes no longer had a reason to use the gavel, allowing the pain in Blaine's head to lessen. The three boys found themselves laughing and falling into the same easy friendship they'd always had.

Five minutes before class Blaine had to set off for class on the opposite end of campus from David and Wes, but it was looking as though his day might not completely suck.

As he walked down the hall, Blaine's thoughts briefly flashed to Kurt. This would be the perfect opportunity for them to sneak off before class. Blaine thought of Kurt's long legs carrying that trim waist toward him, his arms wrapping around Blaine's neck to pull him into a kiss. Blaine's chest tightened at the vision. He could practically feel Kurt's soft skin beneath his lips as he murmured good morning.

Blaine shook the image out of his head and headed toward his locker.

Blaine grabbed his books and turned to see Kurt standing at his own locker. As Michael came up behind him and wrapped his arms around Kurt's waist, Blaine could feel his stomach churn. He knew anyone in the hall would be able to tell what he was staring at, but he couldn't force his eyes away.

Michael tightened his arms around Kurt and Blaine could see Kurt squirm. The corners of Blaine's mouth turned up slightly. Kurt hated feeling trapped. Squeezing him too tightly from behind made Kurt feel uncomfortable, and Michael obviously didn't know how to hold his boyfriend. Blaine caught Kurt's eye as Kurt pushed out of the embrace. Blaine lifted an eyebrow to Kurt. When Kurt returned with a scowl, Blaine could feel the smirk on his face grow.

With a light laugh, he turned to leave. If Michael didn't know how to hold Kurt, he didn't know much about what made Blaine's boy tick. For the first time since Kurt walked out the door, Blaine felt like himself again, a familiar cockiness spread through his thoughts as he began to look forward to the coming days where he wouldn't have to see Kurt with Michael again.

He used his lunch break to run back to his room and change out of his slept-in clothes. He loosely styled his hair and found his Warbler pin. He pinned it to the base of his tie, so he could leave his blazer behind. Blaine was trying to appear as casual as possible. Kurt was going to be at Warbler practice today, and if there was any opportunity to remind Kurt how great Blaine could be, it was while Blaine was singing.

Blaine walked into the rehearsal hall feeling confident. He was running the meeting today, and while he still had no idea what was supposed to happen at an opening meeting, he was finally in his element.

Blaine smiled as he sat behind the desk in the front of the room. He sighed, releasing all the tension he been holding on to throughout the day.

Blaine watched as familiar faces trickled in the door. Those that knew him well gave him a nod and a few others attempted to talk to him about what he did over the summer. He smiled as several attempted to work their way into his good graces by asking about women he'd previously "dated."

_If only they knew._

As everyone settled into their seats, Blaine scanned the couches for Kurt. He didn't find Kurt, but he did see Michael.

Blaine's jaw locked. He swallowed thickly as he stared at the boy.

_What the fuck is he doing here?_

Michael sat next to Jeff at the end of a couch. Jeff was wrapped up in a conversation on the other side of him, so Michael was forced to stare straight ahead. He looked uncomfortable not knowing anyone in the room, his eyes drifting to the door every few seconds.

As Blaine was working up the resolve to begin the meeting rather than _notsokindly_ remove Michael from the room, the door opened.

Kurt rushed in, eyes searching the room.

"Why are you late, Kurt?" Blaine didn't even realize he was speaking before the question was out.

Kurt looked up at him and assumed a defensive posture. "_You're_ leading the meeting?," an obvious question of authority in his tone.

"As a matter of fact, I am." Blaine looked a bit smug at the immediate shock written on Kurt's face. "It seems we're out of seats; maybe next time you won't be late, Warbler Kurt."

Blaine knew he should have been nicer to Kurt, but Michael's presence was wearing on his last nerve. The boy looked freaking elated at the mere sight of Kurt, and it took everything in Blaine not punch him in the face.

"I think I'll manage," Kurt spat back.

Kurt set his gaze on Michael and marched across the room. He stood in front of Michael expectantly. Michael uncrossed his legs and looked up at Blaine and then back to Kurt, like he couldn't figure out what he was supposed to do.

Kurt smiled and turned, sitting on Michael's lap. He looked up at Blaine, an eyebrow raised in challenge.

Blaine suppressed a growl and subconsciously cracked his knuckles.

Blaine locked eyes with a hopelessly confused Michael. The boy's eyebrows were drawn together, eyes flicking between Blaine and Kurt even as he grew more at peace with Kurt in the room. He sank further into the couch, posture relaxing as his hand drifted to the small of Kurt's back.

Blaine's eyes narrowed.

A cough brought Blaine out of his trance. He had to remember where he was, who was surrounding him.

It killed Blaine to let them remain in that position, but everyone in the room discovering his jealousy was not something he was willing to risk.

He took a deep breath, secretly wished Michael would get a dead leg under Kurt's weight, and began the meeting.

The introduction could've been worse, Blaine thought. The entire time he spoke Wes looked like he was trying to pass a kidney stone, but at least they got the information.

"As you can all tell by the constipated expression on Warbler Wes' face, I am not an orthodox leader. If you are able to join, the Warblers will take up a lot of your time. You will need to be focused and dedicated, but it does pay off." Blaine let his eyes flicker around the room, "After all, in this school, the Warblers are like rockstars."

This last idea was met with a few cheers of agreement and look of serious regret on Wes' face.

"I have prepared a little something for you all." Blaine said, calming the room again. He walked to a cd player and pressed play. He chanced a glance at Wes, "And you didn't think I would take this seriously. I'm offended," he added in a mocking tone.

Blaine made his way to the center of the room as the beat began to echo off the oak walls.

He kept his dancing simple, crossing his legs and throwing in a couple of turns for his audience. He meant to avoid Kurt's eyes the entire song, but as soon as the first chorus hit, Blaine sang right to the man he was supposed to be avoiding.

_I'll keep you my Dirty Little Secret._

He could see Kurt tense at the words, and Blaine smirked. It had been the most appropriate song for their situation. It served as a reminder that other people did this. Other people had secret relationships that they made work. Kurt was the one ruining this for them.

Throughout the song, Blaine found himself glancing at Michael. He tried to see if the boy had figured out what he was singing, if he knew what Kurt was to him.

Blaine had thought out his performance. All-American Rejects were popular enough that no one would think twice about his song choice, but Kurt would know. Blaine could talk about their entire relationship and Kurt wouldn't be able to leave. He would have to listen to Blaine's entire performance. He would have to see what Blaine still wanted.

Kurt had been avoiding his eyes, but Blaine had caught the boy staring at his lean frame as it moved in front of Kurt. Kurt looked half-hard and uncomfortable in his position on Michael's lap.

Near the end Kurt had set his jaw, crossed his arms, and begun staring defiantly at Blaine.

Blaine sang the final lines with his eyes locked on Kurt's blue ones.****

_Who has to know?_


	4. Chapter 3

The meeting ended with excited rumblings of what songs the Warblers would be covering this year. The new kids were all busy babbling about the thrill of having seen their first performance and hoping to be a part of the next one.

Blaine surveyed the room, keeping track of Kurt. He wanted to catch him before he got a chance to leave the meeting. Blaine wanted to personally gauge Kurt's reaction to his little performance.

Wes was heading toward Blaine, jaw set and a less than pleased look on his face. Blaine knew if he didn't go talk to Kurt now, Wes would end up monopolizing his time for the next hour and he would lose his chance.

Blaine made his way across the room to Kurt, where he stood a few feet behind Michael waiting for his boyfriend to finish socializing.

"Kurt," Blaine started. He raised an eyebrow and cocked his head toward the door. If he was going to talk to Kurt, it had to be in private.

Kurt folded his arms and pursed his lips, not moving an inch.

"No, Blaine." Kurt's easy directness gave Blaine an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Blaine looked around to see that no one was watching their interaction. Wes had moved on, talking animatedly to David. Michael was still in a conversation with another new student, but he had noticed Blaine approach Kurt and stood just out of earshot trying to make it look like he wasn't watching them too intently.

Blaine clenched and unclenched his fists. He itched to reach out and grab Kurt by the waist and drag him to his bed like he'd done so many times last year. To have something he wanted within his reach and yet unattainable was maddening.

He put on his most sickeningly sweet voice and tried again, "Kurt, I think it would be great to catch up." Blaine reached out to rub his thumb along Kurt's forearm, noting some movement in the corner of his eye. "Let's go grab some coffee downstairs."

"We'd love to." Blaine tensed at the unwelcome voice and closed his eyes. Kurt could not be dating someone dense enough to think that was an open invitation.

Blaine opened his eye to see Michael cozied up next to Kurt, arm slung around his shoulders. Kurt had shifted into the taller boy's side so there was no space between the tight press of their bodies. Kurt dropped his arms, no longer in a defensive stance and with a slight smirk playing at the edges of his mouth.

Blaine studied Kurt's gaze for a moment. He was wearing the same expression he wore at his most confident, that moment after he won a debate or thought he'd backed his opponent into a corner. He honestly thought Blaine felt threatened by Michael.

Blaine shifted his attention to Michael. This was the first time he'd taken the opportunity to study the boy up close. Blaine couldn't tell if Michael felt threatened by Blaine being close to Kurt or if he genuinely thought Blaine was offering the perfect chance to 'make new friends. Michael's face looked so genuine, and that only bothered Blaine more.

Blaine quickly weighed his options. Talking in front of Michael guaranteed a less crowded audience with Kurt and, at this point, was probably as close to private as Blaine was going to get. It was probably worth it to let Michael come. If Kurt thought he felt threatened, he would just have to remind Kurt just how much better he was than Michael. Blaine welcomed the comparison.

Blaine took a step forward and looked Michael up and down, locked his eyes on Kurt and with a falsely sweet tone responded, "That would be great."

Kurt's eyes were wide and his jaw visibly tightened. Blaine raised an eyebrow at Kurt; he should have known Blaine wouldn't back off from a challenge.

"Great! I was a little worried about meeting people, this is such an exclusive group. First day and I'm already having coffee with the leader." Michael squeezed Kurt's shoulder and said, "See, Kurt, I'll do fine here."

Blaine had a full smile on now, glancing between Michael's blissful ignorance and Kurt's frustrated expression. This kid was clueless.

Michael moved to lead the way toward the door, sliding his hand into Kurt's and Blaine swallowed thickly at the casual display of affection.

_Filtered_was the swanky coffee shop across the street from Dalton. It tried for, and missed, all of the charm of a local shop like The Lima Bean, but it still made a decent cup of coffee for the days Blaine didn't have time for a trip to Lima.

Two steps in, Kurt turned and stopped Blaine and Michael by raising his hands.

"You two go get us a table, I'll get the drinks."

Blaine looked at Kurt for a minute. He didn't want to be sitting at a table alone with Michael, but he was almost positive Kurt didn't want that either. He had no idea what Kurt was playing at.

"Blaine," Kurt said, pulling Blaine from his thoughts. "What do you usually drink?"

Blaine blinked in surprise. Kurt knew what he drank. Kurt insisted on learning Blaine's coffee order his first day in Boston because he believed it made them a 'real couple.'

Kurt merely raised an eyebrow and feigned a look of genuine curiosity.

At least he knew what Kurt was playing at now. Kurt was going to put up a wall for the entire coffee date if Blaine didn't start playing along.

"Medium drip," he said.

Kurt studied Blaine for a moment as if he couldn't believe Blaine was giving in so easily.

Kurt's eyes met his for what felt like the first real look since this summer. Blaine took a deep breath; he hadn't realized how good it felt to have Kurt look at him, to have that spark and connection between them again. Having Kurt's attention back on him felt even better than it had before.

Kurt was the one to end their eye contact. He spun on his heel, the moment broken as easily as it had begun, and walked up to the counter with his haughty attitude back in full force. Blaine was forced to go with Michael to find an open table near the back of the shop.

Michael chatted animatedly as if nothing had happened. In reality, the whole exchange was so short that maybe nothing had. Maybe Blaine was imagining the electricity he felt when Kurt looked at him. He ignored Michael completely, watching Kurt instead as he placed their orders and glanced over at their table. Kurt was mindlessly drumming his fingers on the counter until Blaine caught his attention, then he froze before glancing away. It wasn't much, but it was all Blaine needed to confirm: they weren't over.

Blaine looked up at Michael. The boy was still rambling, completely oblivious to the fact that Blaine couldn't focus on a word he was saying. Blaine could see that in a few years the boy would be attractive. He had lighter hair than Kurt and was tall, but hadn't quite grown into his own limbs yet. He certainly didn't know how to use them.

Michael was a good placeholder for Blaine, but he could never offer Kurt the same type of satisfaction in a relationship. As soon as Kurt remembered how _captivating_Blaine was he'd never choose someone else, even despite his unwillingness to make their relationship public. Blaine just had to refresh Kurt's memory.

Kurt made his way to their table balancing the three cups. Each little sway of Kurt's hips made Blaine's hands itch to touch him.

_I need to get laid._

Kurt handed him his coffee without comment, merely watching as Blaine took a sip of his coffee. The familiar taste brought a smile to his lips.

Blaine cocked his head to the side and asked, "Wow, Kurt. How did you know I like a dash of cinnamon in my coffee?"

Kurt's eyes narrowed at Blaine accompanied by his signature bitch glare. It was one of Blaine's favorite things about Kurt: he wasn't going to take crap from anyone. Kurt was a strong independent man who people often underestimated and Blaine loved that.

Kurt took a small sip of his coffee and lowered the cup slowly, his eyes never leaving Blaine's face, as if locked on a target.

"Lucky guess," Kurt said with a slight pause between words.

Blaine looked from Kurt to Michael. Michael didn't seem to notice any of the discomfort at the  
table. He smiled between the two, waiting for Kurt to focus on him. The moment Kurt looked Michael's way, Michael grabbed his hand and brought it to his lips, "Thanks, baby," he muttered.

To Blaine's mild disgust, Kurt smiled and practically glowed at the attention.

Blaine took another sip and cleared his throat, willing any appropriate topic of conversation to come to mind.

"So, how do you two even know each other?"

"I live in Lima. I stopped in to Kurt's dad's garage one day. He was so gorgeous I never thought he'd give me the time of day, but I got lucky. Turns out some moron didn't know what he had when he was with Kurt, so he had lower standards when he met me," Michael said with a wink, obviously thinking his joke would be well received.

Kurt laughed nervously and curled into Michael's side. "My dad actually put in a good word for him. The rest, as they say, is history," Kurt finished.

Blaine felt a pang of guilt in his chest. He knew Kurt and his father were close, but Blaine had never liked the idea of Kurt telling his dad about them. The man was a Congressman. What if he let it slip that he was fighting for marriage equality for his son and his boyfriend? Aside from being a Congressman, all Blaine knew about the guy was that he was a big football fan, and Michael didn't look like he knew the difference between a touchdown and a first down. Somehow, he'd still won the approval of Mr. Hummel, and Blaine knew his opinion met more to Kurt than anyone else's.

"Kurt's mentioned his dad a few times," Blaine said. "You don't seem like you'd have a whole lot in common."

Michael started to respond, but was quickly cut off by Kurt. "Michael knows cars, Blaine. Michael is willing to try to get along with my father and my brother despite not having much in common with them. Michael is actually quite willing to try anything for me to prove he's committed to this relationship."

Kurt curled impossibly closer into Michael's side and hugged on to the boy's arm. He raised an eyebrow at Blaine.

Blaine looked at the pair across from him. If he was being honest with himself, he wished he could get along with Kurt's dad and provide that kind of relationship for Kurt, but Blaine was a senior in high school. There was no need for him to change his entire life to appease Kurt for one year. Kurt should have understood that everything would be different for them after graduation. He should have waited.

Kurt and Michael had wrapped themselves up in a conversation that was only meant for the two of them, and Blaine figured he had learned everything he was going to about their relationship that was of benefit to him. He still knew he and Kurt were meant to be. He still knew there were certain ways that he would always better satisfy Kurt, all the ways that mattered. Michael may be someone Kurt was willing to settle with for now, but Blaine could still feel the sexual tension between them any time they were close, and he knew Kurt felt it too from the blush high on his cheeks. Blaine just had to remind Kurt that he didn't have to settle.

"I have to go," Blaine said in way of interrupting their conversation. "I've got to get back for some homework."

Blaine stood up and walked around the table, rested his hand on Kurt's shoulder.

"I'm glad you remembered the cinnamon," Blaine said with a little wink. As he walked away from the table, he was already coming up with ways to make Kurt remember who could treat him better behind closed doors.


	5. Chapter 4

Blaine spent the entire night dreaming of Kurt the way he liked him best: naked and between his sheets. It wasn't that Blaine didn't love to talk to Kurt during the day, but a conversation over coffee could hardly be compared to the sinful whimpers Kurt released when Blaine's finger stroked over his prostate, or the feeling Blaine had in his chest as Kurt moaned his name from beneath him.

For the first time in his life, Blaine could hardly wait for English class.

Blaine didn't really think of it as calculating to follow Kurt into class to make sure he grabbed the seat behind him, but he could see how it might not have come off as natural as he'd hoped it would to Kurt. Kurt sat down with his back rigid, and it probably didn't help when Blaine leaned over his shoulder and said, "Baby, I can help you loosen up, if you want. There's no need for you to be so painfully erect for the entire period."

Blaine could have sworn he heard Kurt huff a laugh, but he didn't so much as glance back after that.

Blaine stayed silent throughout class. He watched Kurt slowly grow comfortable during the lesson, sliding down in his chair and eventually hunching over his desk like any other day. Blaine commended himself on staying focused for the majority of the class. Lately, he'd grown careless and he worried he was letting more of his emotions show than he should. He certainly couldn't allow any of his classmates to figure out what was going on in his head. He had his limits though, and when Kurt ran his fingers through his hair, Blaine's carefully controlled train of thought was completely derailed.

Kurt's long fingers were tangled in the hair Blaine had been desperate to touch for weeks now. Kurt's hair was thick and easy to grab, just the right length for Blaine to pull at when Kurt was on his knees.

Blaine cleared his throat, hoping to focus on anything other than the places his mind was wandering.

There was very little that could distract Blaine from the thoughts of their nights together. He remembered them all so well. Blaine knew he was the only one that could completely satisfy Kurt, but he spent many of his recent nights recalling Kurt more than satisfying him, as well.

-  
Kurt had been nervous the first time he gave Blaine a blow job. While Blaine had never been with a man before, Kurt had never been with anyone. He looked up at Blaine with those big blue eyes, unfamiliar with this form of intimacy, but so willing to learn how to make a man come undone.

The sight of Kurt on his knees, looking up from under his eyelashes had heat swirling in the pit of Blaine's stomach, and when Kurt's tongue darted out from between his lips that first tentative lick sent shock waves up Blaine's body.

He moaned. It had never felt like this with any of the girls; he'd never felt the muscles in his stomach clench in anticipation of the next touch.

Kurt followed it with a confident lick to the entire length of his shaft before covering the tip with his mouth and giving an experimental suck. He sank down on Blaine's dick, head slowly bobbing, trying to swallow more each time. Blaine couldn't help it as his hips started to rock to Kurt's rhythm, pushing deeper than Kurt could on his own.

"Ku-kurt," he let out a strangled cry as heat surrounded his entire dick.

Blaine's fingers clenched in Kurt's hair, his knuckles turning white with a pull each time Kurt hollowed out his cheeks. The first time Blaine's dick hit the back of Kurt's throat, Kurt hummed in satisfaction. Blaine gasped at the sensation. He was so close, the heat in his stomach stronger than he could ever remember.

Kurt swirled his tongue around the tip a few times before sinking down, taking Blaine's length with skill neither knew he possessed. Blaine could just see Kurt take a huge breath before he felt a constant suction pull a final moan out of him as he came into Kurt's mouth.

Blaine collapsed onto the bed, his muscles limp and his breathing heavy. He could faintly register Kurt's cough from the floor, but before he could worry about him, Kurt was crawling up the mattress to lay beside him.

"Was that okay?" he asked with a shy look to Blaine.

Blaine could only grin back at him as he carded his hand through Kurt's hair, trying to convey the unfamiliar happiness blossoming in his chest to the boy curled into his side.

-  
Blaine caught himself grinning to an empty classroom. He had no idea when class had let out. He was going to have to get much better at not losing himself to memories he was hoping to recreate.

Blaine walked out into a mostly empty hallway. He glanced around looking for Kurt. His plan had been to talk to him after class, and he was hoping he hadn't missed his chance.

Kurt was still at his locker, rifling through it looking for something, while Michael stood with his back to Blaine.

Blaine threaded his bottom lip through his teeth. He wasn't going to try to talk to Kurt around Michael again, he didn't need Kurt's new fanboy getting suspicious, but that didn't mean he couldn't watch their interactions.

Blaine watched as Kurt plastered on a fake smile. It was so obvious to him- how could Michael not see it?

Kurt's gaze flickered over Michael's shoulder, briefly landing on Blaine before flicking back to Michael. Blaine waited for Kurt to look back to him and watched as Kurt's shoulders lowered and an authentic smile grew on his face as they held eye contact. Blaine couldn't help it when the corners of his mouth began to turn upwards too. Too quickly Kurt was darting his eyes away and licking his lips nervously, a blush creeping up on his cheeks. Blaine thought he'd never seen Kurt look more beautiful.

Blaine walked toward his locker as an excuse to get closer to Kurt.

Kurt didn't look toward him as he approached. He seemed to have his eyes on Michael, unfocused, but deliberately looking away from Blaine. Blaine chewed on the inside of his cheek. None of this was helping him get Kurt on his own to talk. He needed Kurt's attention.

Blaine began to hum the opening chords of 'Teenage Dream,' the one song he knew would win Kurt's focus, and put a little extra swing in his hips on his way over.

Blaine could feel Kurt's eyes follow him as he spun the dial to open his locker.

"I'm pretty sure there's already a fan club dedicated to my ass, Hummel, but if you take a picture, I'm sure they're always looking for more photos."

Blaine didn't expect the laugh he heard in response to come from so close behind him. Blaine turned around to see a hallway empty of Michael, and only Kurt standing behind him.

Kurt took a step forward and leaned in slightly, crowding close to Blaine, Kurt's voice low in his ear, "I would know. I am the only one who's ever been there."

He straightened up and turned to walk away as if the exchange never happened, as if he hadn't just acknowledged Blaine, acknowledged their relationship for the first time since Boston.

Blaine stood rooted to the spot, watching as Kurt disappeared around a corner. This whole time, Blaine had been trying to figure out how to get Michael out of the picture, to prove that he was the better fit for Kurt. He hadn't considered that Kurt already knew. He hadn't thought about Kurt still wanting to be with him. Now he just had to be there in a moment when Kurt could give into temptation.

Blaine turned in the hallway and strode away from the classrooms with a smirk firmly in place. He had new plans for the night and he needed a little time to prepare.

-  
Blaine glanced at his clock to see the same number as the last three times he'd checked. He was getting antsy waiting for a time when he knew Kurt would be alone. His body was pulling him, willing him to walk down the hall and push Kurt up against his door and take him right _that moment._

Blaine knew his timing had to be perfect, though. If someone else was there, or Kurt was busy, he wasn't going to get the reaction he wanted.

So Blaine waited. He checked his hair, trying to make his curls keep their shape without using product. Kurt hated when the gel stopped him from running his fingers through Blaine's hair in their afterglow.

Blaine perfected his outfit, making sure every wrinkle had been taken care of, every button was lined up, and Kurt's favorite spot to kiss was perfectly available. Blaine was pleased with the outcome. He looked damn good and it was about time Kurt got to rip his clothes off and see for himself.

Blaine tried to keep a reasonable pace as he walked down the hall but his body was pushing him forward, drawing him to Kurt's bed, where he hoped he'd be for a very long time.

Blaine paused when he got to Kurt's door. This was the first time an ounce of doubt had crept into the back of his mind.

_Not the time, Anderson._

Blaine managed one polite knock before he attempted to bang the door down with his fist. It took a strangled, "Hold on," and some shuffling from behind the door for him to take a step back.

Blaine shuffled backwards until his back was against the wall. He could feel the muscles in his stomach and thighs clench, ready to pounce, but he had to pace himself. He had to let Kurt be the one to initiate this, or it wouldn't work past tonight. Blaine was going to make sure this continued.

The door finally opened and Blaine pushed himself off the wall, trying to appear as attractive and casual as one could outside his lover's door at nearly midnight.

He straightened up to look into the eyes of the last person he wanted to see. Blaine couldn't help it as his perfectly dapper smile slid off his face and he felt his stomach twist. It wasn't until Blaine heard Michael clearing his throat that Blaine was able to think about what this would look like to him, another boy at his boyfriend's door in the middle of the night.

Blaine scrambled to regroup his thoughts, tried to come up with a reason that he would be here.

"English," he blurted out.

As soon as the word was past his lips, Blaine was mentally smacking himself on the forehead.

"I had a question about the English assignment." In the long pause that followed, Michael's blank stare made Blaine's throat go dry before he continued with a fumbling, "Um, for Kurt." Blaine raised an eyebrow and made a show of trying to look around Michael for Kurt.

"Oh, um, dude, you couldn't just text him?" Michael asked.

Blaine's eyebrows drew together. He took a second to take in Michael's appearance. He had his shirt unbuttoned and barely hanging on half of his body, he jeans were undone, and his hair looked like it hadn't seen a comb in days. Michael's face was still unfocused, still in that blissful state of after sex bliss.

Blaine felt like he was going to be sick. He tried to swallow, tried to process what he had just stopped. He was sure Kurt had been flirting with him before. At yet, here was stranger-boy looking like Blaine himself had every night last spring.

Fuck.

Blaine couldn't speak. He couldn't clear his head enough to focus on anything other than Kurt being with another boy. Another boy knowing what he knew, seeing Kurt in a way that had previously only been for Blaine's eyes. He hadn't expected it to hurt.

Kurt's voice from inside the room broke through Blaine's thoughts, "Babe, who is it?"

Kurt shuffled to the door looking thoroughly exhausted, a content smile on his face. He only wore a pair of cotton pants slung low on his hips. He slid an arm around Michael from behind, shielding most of his body from Blaine's sight, and kissed at the back of his boyfriend's neck never looking up to see who was at the door.

Blaine could feel a little color drain from his face. He'd thought about Michael and Kurt having sex, but seeing it confirmed wasn't something he'd been prepared for. In any of his scenarios, he'd never thought Kurt would look so damn satisfied afterwards. The thought had never crossed his mind that this soft, beanpole of a man could even compare to Blaine in that way. Sex had been the one card he held, the one he knew would get Kurt back in his arms eventually, and he wasn't going to be able to play it.

Blaine could vaguely hear Michael explaining to Kurt why he was here, but Blaine couldn't keep his eyes off Kurt. He was struggling to make sure Kurt couldn't see the hurt written on his face. He was not going to be the weak one here.

Kurt finally looked at Blaine. The contented look fell off his face, replaced with the guarded mask Blaine knew well. This was the smug look that said 'I'm better than you.' He could practically hear Kurt telling him he had made his choice.

Blaine couldn't handle the rejection. He mumbled something about texting Kurt later, and hurried to get out of Kurt's sight. Blaine hadn't realized how much power Kurt had over him, how easily Kurt could hurt him. Maybe he'd find out if the hurt went both ways.


	6. Chapter 5

**Warnings: a bit of angst, some foul language, slight homophobia, and sexual relations.  
Also note, that the opinion Blaine reflects toward some women in this chapter are not the opinion of the author or anyone else contributing to this work of fiction.**

The days that followed weren't easy for Blaine. If he had been attuned to Kurt's movements before, he was hypersensitive to them now. Every time Blaine went to his locker Kurt and Michael were nearby at Kurt's. Blaine always caught their subtle exchanges, aware of every gesture Kurt had once asked Blaine for; holding hands and chaste kisses were things Kurt thought defined a relationship. Blaine couldn't stand the way his stomach churned when he saw them. He'd started taking a new route to class just to avoid his locker entirely.

He couldn't avoid Warblers meetings though. Kurt was always found playing with Michael's hair or loosening his tie; small things that always caught Blaine's attention. It usually caught more than Blaine's attention: several Warblers got in the habit of coughing awkwardly whenever the couple got too close. Around the room whispers of disapproval stood out to Blaine. Comments about Kurt's PDA always turned into statements about their orientation like, "He's so talented you'd never know he's gay," and forced Blaine to clear his throat awkwardly to bring the meeting to a start.

He saw the public relationship, and understood its appeal to Kurt, but he couldn't understand how holding hands in the hall could be worth being looked at as the outcast every day.

Blaine was in desperate need of a distraction. He began throwing himself into his leadership with the Warblers, running the boys ragged and blaming it on the fierce competition at Sectionals, but even practice couldn't take over all the free time he had now that he wasn't sneaking around with Kurt or planning how to get him back.

It was Wes who ended up providing the perfect relief for Blaine.

"So, Sarah says there's the new girl at her school," Wes said one day, sliding into the chair across from Blaine in the library. Blaine had spent the last twenty minutes trying to concentrate on anything other than his least favorite couple giggling two tables over. "She says Katie is really cool and was looking for a date."

Blaine lowered his books and stared at Wes, an eyebrow raised. Wes had never had any problems telling Blaine when he didn't approve of the rate at which Blaine was going through women.

"Okay, and she also said that if I was still planning on having a date for Friday night that I needed to find one for this girl too."

That got Blaine to crack a smile. He loved when Wes deluded himself into thinking he had any control in his relationship.

"Oh, Wesley, what were you planning to do about that?"

Wes pursed his lips with a thoroughly not amused expression on his face.

"From what I hear, I can pretty much guarantee you a trip to second base."

And that was supposed to seal the deal. The Blaine Wes expected wouldn't need any more convincing than a lonely girl more than willing to give a quick blow job. The Blaine actually sitting in front of Wes couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. He hadn't gone on a date since Boston, and he hadn't been with a woman in over a year. He knew it was irrational, Wes didn't know he was gay, but there was a small voice in the back of Blaine's head that wondered if Wes knew, would their relationship be the same? Would he ever ask Blaine to take a guy out or have a double date with Blaine and his boyfriend?

Blaine didn't know if he could handle a change between them, if he could handle Wes looking at him differently or no longer making jokes about his relationships. Blaine didn't want things to change and this was just a small reminder that the second he outed himself they would, and they'd probably never go back to the way he wanted them.

He gave Wes a smile that he hoped wasn't too strained.

Out of the corner of his eye Blaine caught Kurt leaning close and sliding his hand up and down Michael's forearm, the two of them caught up in their own little world. It reminded him of coffee shops in Boston, of times when Kurt would lean in a little possessively every time Blaine brought up the name of a person he didn't know. It was a little habit Blaine picked up on early in their tryst, and he'd used it to his advantage then.

And here was Wes, practically serving Blaine with the opportunity to drive Kurt crazy on a silver platter.

"Wesley, I'd be happy to show a new student the grander sights of Westerville."

-  
Blaine spent his Wednesday night trying to remember what it was he used to like about girls. He remembered the days before Kurt, jumping from woman to woman. He remembered enjoying it, but one hour into a date and Blaine couldn't seem to remember why.

Girls were self-conscious creatures by nature. They needed constant reassurance that every move they made was the right one. Katie and Sarah talked about subjects that had no substance and laughed too loud at statements that didn't warrant the attention.

Near the end of dinner, Katie's hand found its way to the inside seam of Blaine's pants. As she slid it up and down, each time getting closer to Blaine's crotch, he remembered what had held his interest.

Soft strong hands spent the rest of the evening teasing his cock and, as long as Blaine never looked at the person next to him, it was like this summer never ended.

-  
Thursday morning hadn't been what he expected. Katie had given him a blow job in her dorm and he left. Nothing else had happened. Blaine didn't expect the little feeling of regret to be haunting him the next morning. He didn't think that little voice of reason was going to have such an issue with a simple blow job. Kurt was getting them- it wasn't like he was cheating on anybody.

Every time he'd seen Kurt in the halls that little voice of regret grew a little louder. It had been distracting him all day, especially in English when he had to fight back a wave of mild nausea the entire class.

He'd completely forgotten about the Warbler meeting until he got a text from Wes telling him that getting laid was not a valid excuse to be late.

_Maybe if you were getting laid it would be._

Blaine turned around and groaned. He'd been looking forward to crawling into bed and crashing early. He looked down at his phone to check the time. He was already five minutes late. Wes was not going to let him hear the end of this.

He was already late, but Blaine had no intention of rushing off to the choir room. He tried to ignore the feeling of dread, knowing that he was about to spend an hour watching Kurt make heart-eyes with a beanpole.

Most of the guys knew he'd gone on a date last night. There was a chance Kurt knew by now, as well. If he was going to make Kurt jealous, he needed to sell that last night was the best night of his life. His best smirk in place, Blaine walked into the choir room hoping that the next hour would be slightly more bearable than English had been.

"And finally he shows up! A great example you're providing there Warbler Blaine," Wes said as soon as he'd crossed the threshold.

Blaine kept his smirk in place as he made his way to the front of the room. As he sits down, he shrugs and says, "What can I do? You know how it is, Wes, or maybe you don't."

David sat laughing at the council table. He and a few senior members knew Wes and Sarah hadn't done anything below the belt, but Blaine was the only one that ever openly said anything about it.

"There he is gentlemen. I was wondering how long after this date we'd get our regular, well-laid Blaine back," Davis said. "This dry spell was wearing me out _for_you, dude."

Blaine couldn't help as his eyes unconsciously shifted to Kurt. If he didn't know before, Kurt definitely knew Blaine had been on a date now.

Today Kurt was sat impossibly close to Michael without actually being in his lap. He shifted a little uncomfortably in his seat, crossing his legs and folding his arms across his chest. His expression was trained solely on his fingernails.

Blaine tried to listen to David still talking about his sex life, but once he mentioned the time after regionals when Blaine had looked blissed out for a week, Blaine couldn't bring himself to concentrate on anything other than Kurt.

Kurt had a hint of a blush spreading high across his cheeks as both he and Blaine remembered the week David was talking about.

After regionals, Kurt and Blaine had locked themselves in Kurt's room for the rest of the weekend. They hadn't been together for very long at that point. Penetration was still new to them, and they'd spent two days wrapped up in each other, discovering every sound Kurt could make from underneath Blaine.

It was the best marathon sex of Blaine's life, and the blush on Kurt's cheeks that was now spreading to the back of his neck made Blaine think Kurt remembered the weekend with the same fondness he did.

Kurt's gaze slipped toward Blaine. Kurt lost himself in his stare and nervously began to chew on his bottom lip, but never tore his eyes away from Blaine. Blaine felt a genuine soft smile grow on his face as he held Kurt's eye contact in return.

Kurt was too busy focusing his attention on the front of the room to notice the curious glances Michael was shifting between the two. Blaine noticed though. He saw Michael's eyes dart from Kurt's face to his own, like he'd never seen a there connection before but was searching for one now.

Blaine thrust his chin out a bit and moved his eyes down the couch, as if he'd been surveying the room the whole time.

The meeting had moved on and Blaine watched for a bit as Wes wrote down every song they'd performed on a giant white board. The rest of the room worked on eliminating songs from their set list for sectionals, but Blaine looked back toward Michael when he thought he'd given the boy enough time to move on and found Michael's eyes still fixed solidly on him.

He watched Michael in return, furrowing his brow to see if he could discover exactly what it was Michael thought he'd learned.

Michael leaned closer to Kurt to whisper something in his ear, but his eyes never left Blaine. Kurt scoffed and looked at Michael like he had five heads, until he followed Michael's gaze and a look of understanding fell over his face.

They whispered together for a moment. Each of them had stopped looking at Blaine to bring their heads close enough that their foreheads may as well have been touching. If there were ever a moment where Blaine wished he could eavesdrop on a conversation, that was it. Instead, Blaine had to look on and watch from afar as the two worked their way through a range of emotions.

Blaine provided silent commentary in his head as Michael progressively worked his way from confused to upset to flat out furious at Kurt. He took a nervous glance around the room to see if anyone else has picked up on the lover's quarrel. Apparently, he was alone in seeing Kurt's discomfort at whatever they're talking about.

Finally, with a pointed glare at Blaine, Michael stood up and stomped out of the room, forcing every Warbler to notice. The room dropped into a dead silence for a second before hushed tones took over the meeting, quickly growing louder with opinions of Michael's little display, all waiting to see what would happen next.

Blaine wasn't sure what to make of it. There was an immediate look of concern written on Kurt's features followed by a deep breath and what Blaine could tell was Kurt giving himself a pep talk. He looked at Blaine for a moment before standing up and stammering out a quick, "I'm going to go see if he's okay," before he left the room too.

It took a few minutes of the boys all chatting amongst themselves before Wes called attention to the room and turned everyone's focus back on the set list.

Blaine spent the rest of practice analyzing the details of Michael and Kurt's exchange. He couldn't see Michael making the jump from Blaine going on a date and Kurt looking slightly uncomfortable to Blaine being gay. He doubted anyone could make that jump on their own. Blaine thought it much more likely that Michael thought Kurt had a crush on him or something. It's much easier to think that the only openly gay kid in the room has a crush on the lead singer of the most popular group on campus. Unless Kurt had let anything slip, Blaine decided he was in the clear.

What's more, Blaine thought this whole thing could be positive for him. Kurt and Michael's first fight, whatever it was, was Kurt's fault. Maybe Michael didn't trust Kurt as much as it appeared, maybe there were a few cracks in the armor, and maybe Blaine getting Kurt back wasn't as far off as he'd thought.

Blaine heard a soft buzz as his phone got a new message and searched the room to see if anyone was paying attention to him before he read it.

text from Kurt:

He knows. Michael knows about last year.


End file.
